I’m pregnant – what do I do next?

Discovering you're pregnant is an exciting time but you will also have lots of questions.

In the early weeks of pregnancy there is not a great deal you can actively do – you and your partner have done the job of getting pregnant! However, you will want to start acting on your exciting news, and the one thing you can do now is look after yourself…

Your checklist for the early weeks of pregnancy

• Take a pregnancy vitamin supplement every day. Most important is folic acid, crucial for your baby's development. Calcium and iron are also very important now that you're pregnant.
• Make sure you get a well-balanced diet. Drink plenty of fluids, especially water, and limit your intake of caffeinated, sugary and carbonated drinks. You should be having at least two litres of water a day.
• Do moderate exercise. It’ll help give you energy and lessen pregnancy aches and pains. Once you have been give her contact details, talk to your midwife before starting on a new exercise programme, to make sure it’s safe in pregnancy.

• If you smoke or use recreational drugs it’s time to stop. If you have trouble quitting, seek professional help. There are lots of great resources you can access via your GP and the NHS now.
• Avoid drinking alcohol too often, or stop completely.
• Cut back on caffeine.
• Be aware of the foods you should avoid during pregnancy, and make sure you keep a very high standard of food hygiene.
• Be careful when handling pets and leave changing the litter to someone else.
• Take care of your dental hygiene - it’s common for pregnant women to suffer from gum infections.
• Don’t start eating for two – that’s not quite how it works!
• Don’t diet. If you're not getting the energy, vitamins and minerals you need then neither is your baby and she won’t be able to grow healthily.
• Don’t take vitamin A supplements and avoid vitamin A-rich foods, like liver and liver products.
• Don’t take over-the-counter medicines (including aspirin), homeopathic or herbal remedies without talking to your midwife first.
• Don’t use essential oils without consulting an aromatherapy expert or your midwife on what is and isn’t safe for use during your pregnancy.
• Don't undertake strenuous exercise, or exercise in hot weather.
• Don’t have x-rays unless it’s necessary. Make sure your health provider knows you’re pregnant and precautions are taken to protect your unborn baby.

Mum's story

"I had conflicting test results event at 9 weeks"

“I felt sick for most of the early weeks in my pregnancy but by nine weeks that had completely gone, so I went to my GP in case it meant I was no longer pregnant. He suggested I did another home test to feel reassured, but it came up negative and I was devastated. I’d bought an expensive digital test too and then I tried that one, which said I was positive! I went back to my GP who organised an early scan. When I saw my baby’s heart beating I felt so much better!”.
Diane, 31, eight months pregnant